BRILLIANT Victorian reinsman Chris Alford registered a unique double when he won both feature three-year-old races on Hankook Tyres Hunter Cup Day at Moonee Valley today.
Alford captured the $25,000 Caduceus Club Cup with Cosmic Under Fire after earlier landing the prize in the $25,000 VSB&SA Gold Chalice behind Amongst Royalty.
Since 1987 when the Caduceus Club Cup was added to the feature race calendar, no driver has claimed the double. Ironically it was also Alford’s first win in both classics.
While Alford was the common denominator between both wins, his drives were vastly different, thanks largely to the barrier draws allotted each.
In the Gold Chalice for the fillies, Alford pushed Amongst Royalty forward early to take the lead after 300-metres, then took a trail behind race favourite Dolcezza shortly afterwards.
As the field turned for home, Alford brought Amongst Royalty back into the sprint lane and after a battle over the final stages with race favourite Dolcezza, the Jayne Davies-trained filly drew clear to win.
Amongst Royalty returned a 1:58.6 mile rate for the 2100-metre classic, with the final 800-metres covered in 58.8 seconds.
Dolcezza was brave in defeat finishing 1.5-metres behind the winner, while Twirling finished third a further 10-metres in arrears.
It was Amongst Royalty’s first win from four outings this season, after last season being voted Victorian 2YO Filly of the Year.
As stated, the drive was vastly different in the Caduceus Club Cup for the colts as the Bob Mahncke-trained Cosmic Under Fire drew the outside the second row.
Alford was at his brilliant best pushing forward early and ending up midfield after 400-metres whilst his rivals were still vying for their positions at the front of the field.
With a lap to go Alford elected to go three wide with the belief that Cosmic Under Fire was strong enough and the son of Courage Under Fire displayed his toughness, ranging up to the leading group as the field turned for home.
Cosmic Under Fire was headed by Crimson Knight in the straight, but he fought back to prevail by a half-head with Fox Street a further 2.5-metres away in third after trailing the leader.
ADELAIDE trotter The Upper Crust won the Group 3 $20,000 Hankook Tyres Plate for the squaregaiters at Moonee Valley this afternoon, in the process registering his 16th victory from just 26 starts.
The four-year-old Joe Carbone-trained trotter was driven to victory by former South Australian reinsman Geoff Webster, who is now based in Victoria at Bannockburn.
The entire defeated Tennotrump by a half neck with Frosty Vee Bee a further 4.5 metres away in third.
PACIFIC Union continued his sensational form in winning the $25,000 Petstock Animal Supplies 4YO Bonanza at Moonee Valley this afternoon.
Trained by Ian Frost and driven by Chris Alford, Pacific Union displayed plenty of toughness sitting outside the leader for the final 1400-metres, but still holding out the challengers near the line to claim victory by a half head.
Despite working hard in the ‘death seat’, Pacific Union reeled off a brilliant 28.4 seconds for the final 400-metres and that was against a immensely strong headwind.
The win gave Pacific Union his fifth victory from six starts this season, taking his career statistics to nine wins and two placings from 13 starts.
He defeated the underrated Lenny Bromac with ex-New South Wales trained pacer Larado finishing third on debut for the Lance Justice stable.
SIR Galvinator appreciated a drop in class to win the $25,000 Hankook Tyres Free For All at Moonee Valley this afternoon.
The five-year-old proved too strong to defeat Hankook Tyres Hunter Cup emergency The Warp drive by two-metres with Flaming Roadstar a further 1.5-metres away in third.
Sir Galvinator recorded a smart 1:57.3 mile rate for the 2100-metre event, coming home his last 800-metres in 57.5, with a final quarter in 28.3.
In his three previous outings the striking stallion had finished sixth in the Shepparton Cup behind Sting Lika Bee, second to Smooth Crusa in the Moonee Valley Cup and last start was seventh to Sting Lika Bee in the Ballarat Cup.
The win was a consolation for his trainer-driver Geoff Webster and the horse’s connections after Sir Galvinator narrowly missed out on a start in the Hankook Tyres Hunter Cup.
